Concrete mixer



June 2 8 19.27 K R. SCHUSTER 633,

CONCRETE MIXER Filed April 28. 1924 Patented June 28, 1927.

UNITED '1f-PATENT :.QFFILCE,

KARL n. scnusrnmor HorATcoNG, NEW. JERSEY.

CONCRETE MIXER.

Application le'd April 28, 1924. Serial {Nm-.709,483.

'This invention is a` mixer, -Wlierein provision is made for agitating'the'mgredients ofthe mass byfthe-action-of fluid pressure 'conjointly with ymechanical agitation, as a' sults Ain the coarse mineral aggregate and other ingredients remaining :in a quiescent condition, and the iniiowing Yiiuid 'pressure (air) passes freely in an upward/direction and through a passage, orpassagesfwhich isv formed in, or opened through, `such mass by the pressure ofthe'fluid, experience-having Vshown that the broken stone as arcomponent of the mass precludes, atleast Ato a substantial extent, vthe agitation and`mixi'ng of the mass.

According to my invention, the tendency of .thebroken stone used as a componentof the mixture toiemain at rest is preclu'ded'lby mechanical agitation. To this end,my invention embodies, in addition'to means 'for feeding air or gas under pressure, the element of a mechanical agitator, the same beingrpreferably of the rotary type, and'being.

positioned within the lowerlportion o'f the Vreceptacle and in the path of thegintlowmg Aair or gas soas to berotated by thefimpact of such pressure against the surfaces of said agitator, Wherebytliemotion of the agitator Vtaken conjointly with thepressure of thein :flowing fluid acts to impart the deslred agitation to the mass ofmaterialand to insure 1thorough admi-xture of the ingredients. vSaid agitator element performs the"funcpition, primarily, of precluding'lodgment o'f :the broken stone so as to remain jin a state ofrest within the .lowerpart of thev recep- -tacle,vand the motion of said agitator ele- .ment `is secondary to the action of the in- .'flowingfluid the pressure of which .againsty the components of the mass,impartsmotion to the vcomponents ynecessary to effect ,the intimate admixturethereof.. f

.Other yfeatures and advantages of thein- .vention Awill appear from the followingde-v scriptioni taken i in connection -fwithzthe f drawings, wherein- Figure 'l isa Vertical section of a concrete umxer embodying:thisinventiomand 'Figure 2fis=a planfthereof.' In `the constructionai `rfor-m shown inthe idrawings, Athe mixing receptacle A :is 4-provided with a-eurved bottom a. Attachedto ythe bottom =is a tubularmember B for ifeeding airor gas under pressure interiorlyof the Ereceptacle. Asshowmthis tubular memberiterminates in a-nozz'le 'biattached tozthe curved bottom a at one side of-the"vertical axis of said receptacle, 4said 'nozzle o constitutingithe pressure inlet Vto the chamber of-tliereceptacle eceentrically thereto. The tubular member is fshown as having elbows b forming componentsof apipe which/consists of sections united by-a separable coup- 'ling c. Itis apparentrthat.the1tubular2mem- -`ber Imay ybe supplied with-air or gas from a reservoir,a p'ump,orlot-her sourceof supply. Y,

C designates anv agitator element posi- Ltioned within the lower portion of'the mixing receptacle and -movalile therein `for'tlie` :purpose of operating conjointly with fthe l*fluid ypressure in agtating the components of'a mass witha VieWTto-mixing'the same. In the constructional fformo'f 'the lagitator element itenibodies a Ehorizontal Ashaft d, a plurality yof radialfarms'fd, and blades'clz, all attached so as tov constitute a unitary structure. vThe shaft l of said agitator is mounted inbearings e attached'to opposite side Walls of thereceptacle. 'The agitator is `positioned within-the lower part ofthe re- `ceptacle sothatfthe curved bottom-a is conycentric'tothe axisof the-shaft d, and 4thus Athe agitator f is "mounted for rotatable Imovement within-the receptacle vfor the blades .or paddles dZto sweep close to the yinner-surface of the-.curved bottom a ofsaid mixing receptacle.

.Itis apparent that the agitator may berotated 'in any desired Way, but in thef'present invent-ionitis preferred to yutilize the pressure of ytheinfiowing air'or gas lfor the pur- ;posefof imparting rotativemoveinent tothe agitator. As shown in Figure 1, the blades or paddles d2 ofrthe agitator pass over :the inlet fbandlin close relation'thereto, so that the Vintiowing air or gaswill act a'gainstthe badesy/thus supplying'themotive power for the'rotation of thev agitator. Y

I have elected to show my present invention in connection with a mixer` such as is disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,111,974, but it will be understood that the invention may be employed in connection with other appropriate forms of mixing apparatus,

such as that disclosed in my copending applications filed December 6, 1919, Serial No. 343,037 and Serial No. 88,770, filed April 4, 1916. In the constructional form of apparatus shown in the drawings, the mixing receptacle A is provided at its opposite sides with trunnions j 7"', Vthe latter trunnion f being hollow, and said trunnions are journaled in suitable bearings g of a supporting frame Gr. To the hollow trunnion is attached an internally toothed gear 7l` with which meshes a gear pinion le. on a shaft II having a crank .71,2 for its operation, whereby hand-power may be applied for imparting rotative movement to the pivotally mounted mixing receptacle fr. The pressure required for the mixing operation is furnished through a pipe I provided with a cock z' and with a branch the latter entering the hollow trunnion j" and having tight fitting engagement therewith due to the use of a gland or stulling box rIhe tubular member Bis in communication with a hollow journal f', and thus the tubular member is at all times in operative relation to the hollow journal and` to the mixing receptacle so that the tilting` movement of said mixing receptacle will not interrupt the communication between the tubular member B and the feed pipe I, for the reason that said tubular member partakes of thev tilting movement of the receptacle and during such movement the communication between the tubular member B and the pipe I is obtained through the hollow trunnion j and the branch pipe i.

The operation of the mixer will be apparent fromv the description, but may be summarized briefly as follows:

The components of the mass to be mixed are dumped into thereceptaclc, and -the cock z' is opened to allow steam, air or gas v to flow from the pipe and its branch e" through the trunnion 7 and` the tubular member B so as to flow into the chamber of the receptacle A. The inflowing steam, air or gas under pressure agitates the mass of material within the receptacle and the pressure of such fluid acts upon the blades of the agitator for the purpose of rotating the latter within the receptacle. The agitator acts conjointly with the fluid pressure for imparting motion to the components of the mass so as to effect the mixing thereof.

v The valve e' should be kept open during the mixing operation for feeding the` fluid under pressure. Obviously, water is supplied as and when required. To discharge the mixed mass from the apparatus shown, the

valve z' is closed and the operator turnsl the crank 71k to turn the receptacle A into a downwardly inclined position, thereby discharging the mixed mass by gravity.

I'Iaving thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by liet-ters I )atent is:

1. In a mixer, a dumpable receptacle, an agitator mounted within said receptacle and movable therewith in the discharge of a mixed mass therefrom, and means for feeding fluid under pressure, whereby the energy of said fluid is utilized for vrotating said agitator and for agitating the .materials composing the mass within the receptacle. p2. In a mixer, a dumpable receptacle, means for feeding fluid under pressure to the interior of said receptacle, and a rotary mixer element mounted within the receptacle and positioned in the line of flow of the fluid under pressure, whereby the energy of the fluid is utilized for imparting rotative movement to the mixer element and for effecting the admixture of the components of a mass within said receptacle, said mixer element being carried by said receptacle for movement therewith in the operation of discharging the mixed mass from said receptacle.

3. In a mixer, a receptacle mounted for movement on a horizontal axis and adapted for a bodily dumping movement in discharging a mixed mass therefrom, means for feeding fluid under pressure to the interior ofV said receptacle, and a mixer element mounted for movement within said receptacle substantially below the axis of movement of the receptacle itself, said m'xer element being exposed to the energy of the fluid and said mixer element and the inflowing fluid acting conjointly in the agitation of a mass for effecting the admixture thereof prior to the dumping movement of said receptacle.

4. In a mixer, a receptacle pivoted for dumping movement on a horizontal axis for effecting the discharge of a mixed mass therefrom, a mixer element supported within the receptacle for movement :relatively thereto, and means for feeding a fluid under pressure to the interior of said receptacle, whereby the energy of the fluid is utilized for imparting motion to the mixer element and said inflowing fluid andthe mixer element act conjointly in effecting the admixture of the mass within the receptacle, said mixer element and the fluid pressure means being movable with said receptacle in the discharge of the mixed mass therefrom.

5. In a mixer, a pivoted receptacle adapted for bodily movement in discharging a mixed mass therefrom, means for feeding a fluid under pressure to the interior'of said receptacle, and a mixer element rotatable within'the receptacle under the energy of the fluid pressure supplied to the receptacle,

said mixer element and the fluid pressure means being movable with said receptacle upon the movement thereof to and from a discharging position.

6. In a mixer, a receptacle having an arcuate bottom and an open top, said vreceptacle being bodily movable to and from a position wherein a, mixed mass is adapted to be discharged through said open top, means for feeding fluid under pressure to the interior of said receptacle, and a mixer element mounted within the receptacle for rotation on an axis substantially concentric to the arcuate bottom, said mixer element being carried by said receptacle and positioned therein for exposure to the inllowing fluid pressure, whereby the energy of the admitted fluid is adapted to be expended for mixing the mass and for imparting rotative motion to the mixer element.

7. In a mixer, a tiltable receptacle support-ed by trunnions one of which is substantially hollow, a mixer element mounted within the receptacle for rotation therein, and means connected with the receptacle and with said hollow trunnion for feeding luid under pressure to the'interior of said receptacle, said fluid feeding means and said mixer element being movable with said receptacle in the movement of the latter for discharging a mixed mass therefrom.

8. In a mixer, a receptacle supported by trunnions one of which is hollow, a pressure pipe attached to the receptacle and to the hollow trunnion for feeding fluid to the interior of the receptacle, and a mixer element rotatable within the receptacle and exposed therein to the pressure of the fluid supplied by said pressure pipe, said mixer element and the pressure pipe being mov-A able with said receptacle in the operation of discharging a mixed mass from the latter.

9. In a concrete batch mixer, a receptacle for a batch of concrete material, means for feeding fluid under pressure to the interior of said receptacle and into said batch of such concrete material, and a rotary mixer element mounted within the receptacle, said mixer element being provided with paddles whose path of movement is adjacent to the path of the inllowing fluid, whereby the full energy of the inflowing fluid is utilized for imparting rotay motion to said mixer element and in e Aecting the agitation of the components of the batch of concrete.

l0. In a mixer', the combination with a suitable receptacle, of a fluid supply means connected therewith andadapted for directing upwardly within said receptacle a fluid under pressure, and an agitator mounted for rotation on a. horizontal axis within said receptacle, said agitator having blades in the line of flow of the fluid under pressure and adapted to be rotated by the impact of such fluid.

11. In a mixer, a receptaclek provided with a curved bottom, a tubular member connected to said receptacle for feeding fluid pressure through said curved bott-m, and a rotary agitator element mounted within said receptacle, having its axis of rotation at approximately the center of the arc of said curved bottom', said agitator element having blades positioned in the line of flow of the fluid pressure and exposed thereto so as to be rotated lby such pressure, combined and operating for the purposes set forth.

l2. In a mixer, a vessel, an agitator ro tatable therein, and means for feeding fluid under pressure upward into contact with said agitator and into a mass of material contained within the vessel whereby the agitator is rotated by impact of the lluid pressure, said fluid supply means and the agitator operating conjointly to impart motion to the material for effecting the admixture of the components of .said mass.

In testimony whereof I have hereto signed my name this th day of April, 1924.

, KARL R. SCHUSTER. 

